Riverside man charged with 2-month-old daughter’s fentanyl poisoning death
RIVERSIDE, Calif., — Authorities say a months-long investigation into the fentanyl poisoning-related death of a newborn in an unincorporated area of Riverside northwest of Lake Mathews has resulted in the arrest of the victim’s father, who now stands accused in his young daughter’s tragic and preventable death.
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Deputies from the Jurupa Valley Sheriff’s Station began investigating the infant’s death on Dec. 2, 2021, after responding to a 3:30 a.m. report of a 2-month-old girl who was not breathing in the 17000 block of Crown Creek Circle, Sheriff’s Sergeant Ryan Marcuse has since reported.
When deputies and emergency personnel arrived, they determined the infant had already passed away.
Donald Wallace was arrested after a months-long investigation determined he was responsible for the fentanyl that led to his 2-month-old daughter’s fatal poisoning last December. Riverside County Sheriff’s Department booking photo
“Through extensive investigation by investigators from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Overdose Death Investigations and Narcotics Unit (O.D.I.N.) and the Jurupa Valley Sheriff’s Station, it was determined the 2-month-old juvenile was a victim of Fentanyl poisoning,” Marcuse explained.
“The investigation was worked tirelessly over the next several months and it was determined the victim’s father, Donald Charles Wallace III, 32, from Riverside, was responsible for the Fentanyl that killed her,” the Sergeant continued.
As their investigation continued, on Feb. 24 Wallace was taken into custody without incident at his home and booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside on suspicion of felony child endangerment and a great bodily injury enhancement.
Online jail records indicate Wallace remains in custody in lieu of $75,000 bail or bond.
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“As a reminder, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department wants to remind citizens of the dangers of illicit narcotics many of which may contain Fentanyl,” Marcuse went on to say, adding, “Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 100 times stronger than morphine and can cause death or serious bodily harm.”
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact Master Investigator Peters at (951) 955-1700. Callers can refer to incident file number E213360004 and can remain anonymous.
Contact the writer: [email protected]
Trevor Montgomery, 51, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and operates Riverside County News Source (RCNS) and Shasta County News Source (SCNS), which act as stringer-news providers for other mainstream media organizations throughout the two regions they serve.
Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; the Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County; and Mountain Echo in Shasta County. He is also a regular contributor to Thin Blue Line TV and Law Enforcement News Network and has had his stories featured on news stations throughout the Southern California and North State regions.
Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.
Trevor has been married for more than 30 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 18 grandchildren.